Members of Alabama’s Student Retention Council recently told state lawmakers they are working to raise awareness of career opportunities and quality-of-life advantages in hopes of persuading more graduates to stay in Alabama.
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The council, housed within the Alabama Higher Education Partnership, was launched in 2022 after research found many students were open to working in Alabama after college but far fewer were certain they would stay.
The council includes one student representative from each of Alabama’s 14 public universities, appointed by university leaders. Innovate Alabama expanded the council in 2024, adding six at-large members who fill needed organizational roles.
Four areas
In last week’s presentations, student leaders told lawmakers the current council is focusing on four areas they said shape whether graduates remain in Alabama: outdoor recreation, civic engagement, events and entertainment and workforce pipelines tied to internships.
“All four of these come together, really to highlight the wonderful assets in the state of Alabama and all of the value that we have here,” Jacksonville State University student Jonathan Duncan told the House committee.
Council members said they are addressing those areas by talking with students and community leaders and by developing guides to help students learn more about what Alabama has to offer.
University of Alabama in Huntsville student Ayden McArthur told the Senate committee that internships can play a major role in where graduates choose to live.
“We found out that internships are a significant predictor of where they’re going to live in the future,” McArthur said.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
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